Some (all?) states with sales taxes already 'require' you to pay sales tax for mail-order and Internet purchases when you file your taxes each year. So. Many of you are already supposed to be paying this tax. You're just skirting the law.

LittleMe wrote on Feb 15, 2013, 22:48:What's not being talked about is that the costs of government 'services' for online sales are also much less, but now they'll be taxed the same as if they were a storefront.

WTF are you talking about?

Sales Taxes are collect by counties (usually), and spread amongst ALL 'services' offered in that county (Police, Fire, county clerks office, city halls, etc, etc,)... not just any specific "online services"... and in a State like mine that doesn't have any State income tax, a portion of sales taxes go into the State general funds for education, welfare, employment, prisons, state legislature, etc, etc, so, how would "online" be able to be any 'less services' ?

Poperty Taxes, are a different story... Brick and Mortar stores have to pay that if they own the building, or it's built into their lease and the shopping center owner pays those... while online stores pretty much don't have that overhead... except the big ones like Amazon that have data centers and warehouses.... but generally way less than say, Wallmart. But technically... that's just overhead difference in the business model.

Don't get me wrong, fiscally I'm, conservative, but you seem to have a real mis-conception of what 'services' that sales taxes are actually collected for.... which is basically everything... supplemented by federal funds on some things and fees like business liceneses, auto registration etc, for agencies like State Public Safety, Transportation, and Unemployment benefits.

Linksil wrote on Feb 15, 2013, 23:08:I think there needs to be a national online sales tax. BUT they can only put it towards providing real (See google fiber quality) internet at low/no cost nation wide. Not just as kickbacks to other companys/utilities.

That's because you think such a plan would work. The feds already collect money and subsidize Internet and it's been a huge failure. So since it's failed, lets expand that? I agree with Rattlehead. A national online sales tax as you propose it, is little more than a national ripoff sales tax that would fatten big corporate bank accounts.

Saboth wrote on Feb 15, 2013, 22:28:Psst...Congress....over here. I've got a tip for you. I'm buying from Amazon instead of Best Buy because they have the TV I want for $500 instead of $700, and I don't have to be brow-beaten by salesmen trying to sell me an HDMI cord for $30. Not because I don't have to pay 5% sales tax.

So then you wouldn't mind paying it?

It's inevitable that eventually Amazon will start charging everyone sales tax. But Congress will have to make the whole thing a LOT fucking easier (both for Amazon and for the customer) before it will ever become a reality.

Right now the onus is on the customer to report the sales tax... Yeah, good luck with that, fuckers. Like I'm going to keep a log of exactly every single thing I bought during a whole year, so I can then apply sales tax on it and try to figure out where to fucking report it on their by-now completely idiotic tax return forms.

I think there needs to be a national online sales tax. BUT they can only put it towards providing real (See google fiber quality) internet at low/no cost nation wide. Not just as kickbacks to other companys/utilities.

"While store owners collect and remit state and local sales taxes their digital competitors are off the hook -- and benefiting because of it,"

What's not being talked about is that the costs of government 'services' for online sales are also much less, but now they'll be taxed the same as if they were a storefront. Online sales should not be taxed at the same level, if they were fair about it. But no this is about government greed and failed central planning.

Psst...Congress....over here. I've got a tip for you. I'm buying from Amazon instead of Best Buy because they have the TV I want for $500 instead of $700, and I don't have to be brow-beaten by salesmen trying to sell me an HDMI cord for $30. Not because I don't have to pay 5% sales tax.